Well, it is May 2016 ...

[Tom Caldwell]

No sign of the GM7 that was rumoured to be under development in October 2015 and said later to be about to be announced in April 2016.

This seems to confirm that the GX80/85/GX7ii is the GM7 and we must wait and see what might happen to the GM series from now on.

Although the GX80 is a very desirable camera I am glad that I have taken a position with the GM5.

My guess is also that Panasonic will keep on running small batches of the GM5 as long as demand holds up.

This might to an extent mirror what happened to the GX7 which quite fascinatingly seemed to remain readily available well after its prime time in the sun was officially up. In fact towards the announcement date of the GX80 it seemed to me that the street price of the GX7 was actually going up and starting to merge with that of the GX8.

It is hard to see what more they could do with the GM5 as adding more features would only make the camera size increase. Increased size is exactly what the GM series is not about.

So IBIS (unless it could be fitted into the GM size format), bigger grip, more wheels, tilt screen, larger evf, etc are quite out of the question. This leaves more MP and some re-arrangement of the controls about as far as it goes.

So back to my old saw: that Panasonic could make these delightful little (GM1, GM5) cameras for many years much as they currently are and just gradually reduce the price. With no further R&D or tooling required they could end up a very cheap camera to make indeed.

It might be another camera that once was but still is if you want one.

In this manner they could provide a ready alternative to the increasing mobile phone onslaught as being a full systems camera that was actually cheaper than a mobile phone if their owners were able to see beyond the free calls on their "plan" and realise just what they were paying for the ever-new smart phone in their hands.

 

[brentbrent]

The failure of a rumored new tiny camera to appear "seems to confirm" that a new mid-sized camera is actually the new tiny camera?

Sorry, your faith in rumors is higher than mine, and your next leap of logic continues to mystify me. ;-)

I would suggest that the failure of a new tiny camera to appear seems to confirm that the rumor of its imminent arrival was inaccurate from the start. :-D

--
Brent

 

[hifi]

I agree with all your points.

It looks like Pany is moving forward with the GX but maybe will keep the existing GM models around as well. I am planning on getting the new GX85 but don't think I will be able to part with my GM5. The GM is just so small and is such a capable camera, it really has no equal at present. I will probably use the 2 cameras a 2-body system for my photography events, and keep the GM only for casual family stuff when absolute smallest size is required. I am still hopeful at some point they will release a GM7 (or whatever name) in the future.

 

[SidSnot]

I am still hopeful at some point they will release a GM7 (or whatever name) in the future.

I really would be very surprised if Panasonic DON'T release a new GM model sometime this year...

It may even come with IBIS and 4k video too - after all you can get both in a mobile phone these days...

 

[alcelc]

I suppose GM5 has been discontinued already. According to Panny Hong Kong, it was no longer listed as a current product for a while. Strangely enough, GM1 is still there...

 

[Messier Object]

Tom,

consider how long the D300 users had to wait for the D500. So long that Nikon skipped the "D400" entirely.

Peter

 

[pterosonus]

The one thing I would most like to see in a GM7 is a tilting screen, even one that just tilts up like on the GF7. This would only increase the size by about 2 or 3 mm in depth. The new sensor and processor from the GX80/85 could also be incorporated without any increase in size.

 

[Old Listener]

I don't think that Panasonic's products have fit in neat families with new models appearing at predictable intervals for 2-3 years.

My guess is that after the big drop in camera sales, they are trying to find the right mix of products for their new situation. They have said that what sells well is different in Europe vs. Americas vs. Japan. And mirrorless shipments to Asia (ex. Japan) are now larger than Europe's or Americas or Japan. In Japan, digital camera sales of all kinds have continued to fall faster than in other markets.

 

[Thomas Kachadurian]

Tom Caldwell wrote

So back to my old saw: that Panasonic could make these delightful little (GM1, GM5) cameras for many years much as they currently are and just gradually reduce the price. With no further R&D or tooling required they could end up a very cheap camera to make indeed.

I agree. I think sooner or later they may come to this conclusion, but maybe not. Part of the problem with Panasonic is they have a history of constantly retooling and making changes only to have a number of the models along the way completely fail.

tom

 

[Tom Caldwell]

The failure of a rumored new tiny camera to appear "seems to confirm" that a new mid-sized camera is actually the new tiny camera?

Sorry, your faith in rumors is higher than mine, and your next leap of logic continues to mystify me. ;-)

I would suggest that the failure of a new tiny camera to appear seems to confirm that the rumor of its imminent arrival was inaccurate from the start. :-D

 

[mring1]

Got my black one in March when they showed up for $440. Can't believe how great this little camera is. But just about everything was compromised over the issue of size: ergonomics, battery life, feature set. And as Pany came out with more and more bodies with 4K, DFD, and the like, the public decided that the "Goldilocks solution" was a little bigger.

I doubt you'll see Pany make further production runs of this camera. M4/3s is too much of a niche player for manufacturers to allow artificial niches to exist. There's got to be a clear return and the GM5 was not cheap to build and they never sold enough of them.

I hope Pany sells a ton of GX80/85s and GX8s. I'm happy and give "high 5's" to the 4/3s consortium for my E-M5 and GM5.

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Tom Caldwell wrote

So back to my old saw: that Panasonic could make these delightful little (GM1, GM5) cameras for many years much as they currently are and just gradually reduce the price. With no further R&D or tooling required they could end up a very cheap camera to make indeed.

I agree. I think sooner or later they may come to this conclusion, but maybe not. Part of the problem with Panasonic is they have a history of constantly retooling and making changes only to have a number of the models along the way completely fail.

tom

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Good points, worth debating ....

Got my black one in March when they showed up for $440.

Think of this as a market stabilised price where now that Panasonic has recouped R&D then they could probably sell this camera "forever" at about this price and still make money.

It is about half the price of the launch RRP of the GX80/etc.

Can't believe how great this little camera is.

Me too.

But just about everything was compromised over the issue of size: ergonomics,

I don't mind the ergonomics if you want a case of bad-ergonomics just cheak out the larger Sony A7 MkI series. Physical size is no harbringer of good ergonomics.

battery life,

A busy day with a GM series camera will need 1.5 batteries in my estimation, carrying a spare is not a huge problem and a more ordinary use will see it last the full day. Consider most film came in 36 shot cartidges and that was usually enough or you carried spare cartidge or three of film.

feature set.

Nothing much I cannot do in reality with the feature set of a GM1 or GM5.

And as Pany came out with more and more bodies with 4K, DFD, and the like, the public decided that the "Goldilocks solution" was a little bigger.

If that extent of features then maybe you do need a larger camera.

I doubt you'll see Pany make further production runs of this camera. M4/3s is too much of a niche player for manufacturers to allow artificial niches to exist. There's got to be a clear return and the GM5 was not cheap to build and they never sold enough of them.

Two parts to a make and sell equation. The capital cost of design and tooling that has to be recovered and the actual cost of building the device in quantity. The latter might be surprisingly low considering the true component costs and assembly alone.

I don't know how many were sold but it was pretty hard to find black bodies not so long ago and they are again in fairly easy supply. Perhaps Pansonic had been hiding some spare black ones in a warehouse somewhere. Or were they just "encouraging" the sale of the harder to move red variety?

In truth I have no idea what Panasonic might decide to do but I see their biggest problem is how to make, sell and market another tiny GM body without adding more features. If their biggest market obstacle was simply price then there may be a lot of merit in just selling them for years based on the long period price averaging out.

I hope Pany sells a ton of GX80/85s

I am sure they will, if I were not so happy with my GM's and GX7 I would have my jollies seething for a GX80/etc right now - somewhere in the future a GX80 will be in my collection.

and GX8s.

I am not so sure about this one. If I really wanted a camera that large then I might as well buy a Sony A7R MkII and overcome my poor impression of Sony ergonomics. Maybe they will do better with the MkIII version? In any case AUD$4,000 a pop is a whole lot more than US$440 by any reckoning. Makes for an expensive FF sensor in my book when you can have a GX80/etc for a fraction of the price and even more goodies, and a delight to use as a by-product.

I'm happy and give "high 5's" to the 4/3s consortium for my E-M5 and GM5.

 

[f2toms]

Very early on Black Friday, I posted that the GM5 might be discontinued. I was ridiculed to point of being suspended for a few days, OK.

A few months ago I asked If Panasonic had a clue for what they were doing? Differing opinions, everyone has the right to theirs. I didn't give my final opinion.

I am with Tom on the GM5 issue ! Now I will give my final opinion.

Panasonic doesn't Have a CLUE ! They proved this almost 3 years ago when they discontinued the Digital Camera that has held it's value better than Any Other !

Just my Opinion !

!

 

[Thomas Kachadurian]

Very early on Black Friday, I posted that the GM5 might be discontinued. I was ridiculed to point of being suspended for a few days, OK.

A few months ago I asked If Panasonic had a clue for what they were doing? Differing opinions, everyone has the right to theirs. I didn't give my final opinion.

I am with Tom on the GM5 issue ! Now I will give my final opinion.

Panasonic doesn't Have a CLUE ! They proved this almost 3 years ago when they discontinued the Digital Camera that has held it's value better than Any Other !

Just my Opinion !

!

What camera do you mean?

tom

 

[FrankS009]

Well, I have ordered a GM5 from Adorama for their $499 US price that I will pick up in New York next week. Right now it also comes with a $75 bundle that includes an extra battery, a bag, memory card, and a couple of other bits and pieces. I still love my GF1, but suspect that I will carry the GM5 more places. Just hope I get a good copy of the 12-32 lens. If one wanted to look at it the other way, the 12-32 lens is accompanied by a capable tiny camera body for a minimal price.

The future will take care of itself. I gave up trying to bend Panasonic to my will a long time ago.

F.

--
"We shoot the things that move us in ways that will move others." David duChemin

 

[f2toms]

The LX7, maybe Panasonic just believes Bigger is Better?

 

[addlightness]

[No message]

 

[mring1]

Kind of the polar opposite of those big and beautiful 4/3s SHG lenses. I agree, there's a market, and the R&D costs HAVE been amortized, but is it worth the assembly line space/time? I ask that rhetorically, because I don't know the answer.

If I'm not carrying mine separately (it's in my briefcase here are work, as we speak), I pair it with my E-M5/12-40. The GTM-5 has my Oly 45/1.8. It's almost perfect and takes up next to no space. I just have to remember that's there's no OIS with that solution. I know...Pany has the lens-based solution, but the Oly is the lens I have. And mine is sooo much fun wide open or at f/2.....

 

[dweller88]

Well, I have ordered a GM5 from Adorama for their $499 US price that I will pick up in New York next week. Right now it also comes with a $75 bundle that includes an extra battery, a bag, memory card, and a couple of other bits and pieces. I still love my GF1, but suspect that I will carry the GM5 more places. Just hope I get a good copy of the 12-32 lens. If one wanted to look at it the other way, the 12-32 lens is accompanied by a capable tiny camera body for a minimal price.

The future will take care of itself. I gave up trying to bend Panasonic to my will a long time ago.

F.

--
"We shoot the things that move us in ways that will move others." David duChemin

Such a shame I can't buy this from the UK.

Adorama won't ship it :-(